In order to achieve economic efficiency, research organizations have
established rigorous, quantitative methods for priority setting. One
such organization, the Rockefeller Foundation, has drawn on this report
to help determine the research goals it should emphasize in its funding.
A review of
the problem of priority setting is presented followed by a discussion of
approaches that have been used previously. Several chapters demonstrate
how a number of areas of plant science research have contributed to
gains in rice productivity and also assess the current challenges of
genetic
improvement and pest control. The economic framework for priority
setting and previous methods are reviewed, followed by a series of
country case studies which provide more practical applications.